UKPALMHN Solidarity Space The next Solidarity Space meeting will be on Monday 1 September 2025. Regrettably, this means that there will not be Solidarity Space meetings on: Monday 25 August – no meeting Ahed Tamimi – National Symbol of Resistance on Liberation, Law & Living Under Occupation (rare 50-minute interview) Source: The Enlightenment Podcast Date: 9 August [Many of you will remember our UKPMHN conference on Palestinian Children in March 2019. We wanted to hear directly from Palestinian children and Mohammed Mukhaimer, one of our Steering Group, interviewed Ahed on zoom.. We are pleased to circulate this recent interview with her especially as violent settler attacks on her village, Nebi Sala  and all over the West Bank are escalating.] From Hanan Kattan in the Enlightenment Podcast: “A young Palestinian girl raises her hand and slaps an IDF soldier.  It was an iconic moment that put Ahed Tamimi, her defiant face and blonde curls, on front pages all over the world. Ahed resisted, she wrote a book ‘They Called Me Lioness’, she refused to submit. She was jailed, then put under house arrest by the IDF. She rarely gives interviews, but we’re honoured that Ahed is our guest. Risking yet more time in Israeli prisons, Ahed speaks openly, with raw honesty, about her experiences, her frustration and her vision of the future. We believe that at this crucial moment for Palestine, Ahed’s message needs to be amplified, and we’re asking if you will take the time to post a link to the full episode for your followers and community today.Thank you in advance for considering helping get Ahed’s words to a world that needs to hear them.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BanFKA9Vep4 (50 minute episode. The interview with Ahed starts at 2:00) Strong responses to an inadequate statement by the International Federation of Social Workers. On 19 July, the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), which has hitherto been silent on the genocide in Gaza, published a “Public statement of solidarity with Palestinian social workers and the people of Gaza” –  https://www.ifsw.org/public-statement-of-solidarity-with-palestinian-social-workers-and-the-people-of-gaza/ The IFSW is STILL silent on the genocide in Gaza, as this weak and inadequate statement makes no mention of it, nor of apartheid, occupation, settler colonialism, or ethnic cleansing. It refers to Palestinian suffering, but makes no mention of who is causing this suffering. On 29 July, the Irish Association of Social Workers issued a groundbreaking response: “The omission of terms like ‘genocide’, ‘ethnic cleansing’, ‘starvation’ and ‘war crimes’ significantly weakens the moral and legal clarity needed to address the ongoing crisis. […] The passive language used, phrases like ‘end the violence’ and ‘protect the lives of civilians’, masks the agency of the perpetrators. These vague statements obscure the direct actions of the Israeli state and the Israel Defence Forces, which are causing the suffering and deaths of countless innocent civilians. Without explicitly naming the aggressors, the call for peace risks becoming a neutral stance in the face of oppression, erasing accountability and downplaying the urgency of confronting the reality of state-sponsored violence.” Their full response:  https://iasw.ie/Response_to_IFSW_Statement_on_Palestine On 2 August, the Palestinian Union of Social Workers and Psychologists lambasted the IFSW statement: “While framed as ‘solidarity’, the statement is little more than a carefully worded exercise in neutrality. It fails to name the aggressor, omits the term genocide, and avoids addressing the occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid that underpin the Palestinian tragedy. This is not solidarity. This is complicity masked as diplomacy.” https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/puswp-response-to-ifsw-statement-july-2025/ The UK group, Social Workers for a Free Palestine, have contacted BASW and called on them to also speak out against the IFSW statement. The group is working on its own response. To find out more about Social Workers for a Free Palestine: email: sw4palestineuk@gmail.com X: @SW4PalestineUK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialworkersforafreepalestine/ ACTIONSWANT TO TAKE ACTION? As of 13 August, we have 14 actions posted in July and August on our dedicated Actions Page: https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/  We have a record number of recent actions listed on our web page this week so a big shout out to the volunteers who are helping to scan the web for relevant material. You know who you are! If you know of any future, relevant actions that can be added to the page then please let us know at: ukpalmhn@gmail.com FEATURED ACTIONS Write to your MP: Recall Parliament for Gaza Israel is escalating its abhorrent attacks against the Gaza Strip, including by announcing plans to “take control of all Gaza”. Palestinians cannot wait for parliamentarians to return from their summer break to respond to the ongoing genocide they face. Please write to your MP to demand the government recalls Parliament from its summer recess in order to impose immediate sanctions against Israel, including ending all arms trade and military cooperation. https://palestinecampaign.eaction.org.uk/recallparliament Think these are unrealistic demands? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/1/slovenia-becomes-first-eu-country-to-impose-arms-embargo-on-israel From Palestine House, 113 High Holborn, London WC1V 6JQ: Good morning. The British Palestinian community will be holding:a 3 day vigil outside Palestine House starting from Tuesday 12 August between 7pm-10pm to commemorate Anas and all the journalists in Palestine. They ask all groups to get involved. EVENTS WANT TO NETWORK, LEARN AND SHOW SOLIDARITY? As of 13 August there are 25 upcoming, curated events listed on our dedicated events page: https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ This week we have a record number of events listed on our web page so it is time to say a big thank you to the volunteers who are helping to scan the web for relevant material. You know who you are! If you know of any future, relevant events that can be added to the page then please let us know at: ukpalmhn@gmail.com FEATURED EVENTS Welcome to Gaza Friday 22 and Saturday 23 August Palestine House, London WC1V 6JJ Source: Hands Up ProjectWe’re thrilled to invite you to witness Welcome to Gaza- a powerful, moving theatrical performance created by young Palestinian voices. After heartfelt showings at the Totnes Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Welcome to Gaza is heading to London Palestine House. These aren’t just plays. They’re a raw and brave expression of life under siege, told by the children who live it. Featuring a unique blend of drama, and real-time verbatim messages from Gaza (before and after October 7, 2023), this performance gives space to voices too often unheard. Directed by Peter Oswald and performed by a group of incredible Palestinian talents, Welcome to Gaza is a rare chance to connect with the resilience and creativity of Palestinians. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/palestinehouse/1794023 Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk (film) Wednesday 20 August – UK Premiere Edinburgh Film Festival From Friday 22 August – in cinemas For a year, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi recorded her video calls with photojournalist Fatma Hassona, creating a vivid and haunting video testimony of her daily life in Gaza. Through the faltering intimacy of the phone screen, a strong bond develops between the two women, and Fatma’s unfailing resilience creates a powerful contrast to the ongoing devastation and destruction around her. Combining their video calls with Fatma’s arresting images of Gaza, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is a testament to this talented photographer, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike days after the film’s completion. https://releasing.dogwoof.com/put-your-soul-on-your-hand-and-walk Official trailer: https://youtu.be/9yaSKI1wc-M BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Cumberland Council commits to divest from companies enabling Israel’s crimes Cumberland Council has declared that it will end financial ties with companies supplying weapons to Israel, and those active in Israel’s illegal settlements. The council will also call on Cumbria Pension Fund to similarly divest. Cumbria Pension Fund must immediately heed this call, and commit to begin to divest the £74million+ it has invested in companies facilitating Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians. This win is testament to the tireless campaigning of Carlisle & District PSC. Cumberland Council is the 17th council in Britain to support divestment from companies enabling Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. This link provides material for further action: https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/councillorsaction

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 4 August at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com for a link to this meeting. National March for Palestine – Stop Starving Gaza – Stop Arming Israel Saturday 9 August from 12 noon – 4pm Central London Further details to follow https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-march-for-palestine-stop-starving-gaza-stop-arming-israel/ PSC Statement on Starmer’s announcement on Palestinian statehood Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: 30 July PSC condemns Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statement on Tuesday which fails to address the urgent pressure needed for Israel to end its genocide in Gaza. It shamefully frames the Palestinian right to self-determination within the context of Israel’s actions, rather than as an inalienable right of the Palestinian people. Tuesday’s announcement came in part because of intense pressure from the British public, expressed in the huge protest movement that has persevered over many months. […] We call upon people to join the protests we have called over the summer, including the next national march on Saturday 9 August. We must sustain pressure on the government to take the action required, as outlined above, to bring an end to the genocide and a dismantling of the structures of oppression Israel has employed for decades to deny the Palestinian people their inalienable rights. https://palestinecampaign.org/psc-statement-on-starmers-announcement-on-palestinian-statehood/ What if they were ours? Aneeza Pervez on moral failure and the lives of Palestinian children. Source: The British Psychological Society website Date: 25 July 2025 “Psychology cannot claim to protect children if it is only willing to do so selectively. This is not about slogans. It is about the daily, often unseen ways we model our values: in what we publish, what we teach, and what we refuse to name. Palestinian children are not collateral. They are not too complex or too controversial to grieve. They are children, entitled to safety, dignity, and care.” https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/what-if-they-were-ours British Psychological Society and BDS A group of psychologists are aiming to hold the British Psychological Society (BPS) to account over the genocide and to get the BPS to commit to the Palestinian-led call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (https://bdsmovement.net/) If you are a member of the BPS and want to be involved, please contact: Artemis: artichristinaki@gmail.com or Ian: discourseunit@gmail.com “Pull a Baby Out of Your Bag?” The Question That Exposes a Genocide. Source: Lama Khouri (from the Palestine-Global Mental Health Network) writing in CounterPunch Date: 30 July It was January 2025 […] I stood with other seasoned professionals in the Capitol Hill lobby, planning our day of advocacy for Palestine. […] We were a quiet crowd when four or five guards approached. One of them — short, stocky, visibly angry– began shouting as if shooing away a herd of animals: “This is your first warning. If you do not disperse, I will arrest all of you!” We shuffled slightly, exchanging quizzical glances, unsure what had triggered such fury. Then came the line that would haunt me: “What are you going to do now, pull a baby out of your bag?” In seven words, this guard had unknowingly exposed the mechanism by which an entire society can watch children starve on their screens and remain unmoved. https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/07/30/pull-a-baby-out-of-your-bag-the-question-that-exposes-a-genocide/ The Prime Minister – after 20 months of negotiation – has approved the Project Pure Hope proposal for a government scheme to medically evacuate a cohort or 30 children from Gaza to the UK Source: Project Pure Hope Date: 26 July A Co-Founder of Project Pure Hope (an initiative by private citizens) providing a powerful description of the work of the project and the most recent developments in an extended Sky News interview (approximately 5 minutes): https://www.instagram.com/p/DMkfcRgoJpe/ Project Pure Hope website: https://www.purehope.co.uk/ “Our Genocide”: Israel is Committing Genocide in the Gaza Strip Source: B’Tselem (Israeli human rights organisation) Date: 28 July Friends and partners, It’s almost impossible to comprehend, but for nearly two years, Israel has been committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. As Israelis and Palestinians who live here, and who are exposed daily to testimonies and lived reality, it is our duty to speak the honest and whole truth. […] In our new report, we present facts, data and testimonies that demonstrate how Israel is systematically destroying Palestinian society in Gaza through creating catastrophic living conditions that make continued existence impossible. This, precisely, is the definition of genocide. Press release: https://mailchi.mp/btselem/18act4vnza-9433659?e=3bc8bb3a1e Report launch video (7 minutes): https://youtu.be/OngVkKu6rHk?si=0JIyYE0oHQJSdAvo Full Report: https://www.btselem.org/sites/default/files/publications/202507_our_genocide_eng.pdf Destruction of Conditions of Life: A Health Analysis of the Gaza Genocide Source: Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) Date: 28 July “This report documents the Israeli assault for what it is: a deliberate, cumulative, and ongoing dismantling of Gaza’s healthcare system – and of the population’s ability to survive. Its meaning: genocide.” PHRI news release: https://www.phr.org.il/en/genocide-in-gaza-eng/ Full report: https://www.phr.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Genocide-in-Gaza-PHRI-English.pdf Children who refuse to give up hope in a hopeless world Source: Middle East Eye (short video) Date: 25 July A group of children on Egypt’s northern Sinai coast have begun throwing plastic bottles filled with rice, pasta, and grains into the sea, hoping the tide will carry them to Gaza. One of the children, Janaat Abdon, said the idea was to send food “from the children of Sinai to the children of Gaza”. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMinfCbIeJn/ ACTIONSWANT TO TAKE ACTION? We have 13 actions posted in July and ready to go on our dedicated Actions Page: https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ Protesting over Gaza’s starvation feels like screaming into a void – but we mustn’t stop https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/28/gaza-israel-aid-starvation-children FEATURED ACTION DAY OF ACTION – STOP STARVING GAZA – Pots and Pans protests Friday 1 August at 6pm After last Friday’s national day of action we must keep the pressure up. Join us in towns across Britain as we once more lay down pots and pans to represent those starved to death by Israel’s genocidal blockade and demand our politicians take action to end Israel’s starvation of Gaza. Nationwide actions – details of local actions will be available here: https://palestinecampaign.org/events/day-of-action-stop-starving-gaza-pots-and-pans-protests/ EVENTSWANT TO NETWORK, LEARN AND SHOW SOLIDARITY? Our Events Page lists 16 curated events taking place in July, August and September: https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Between Sky and Sea Exhibition Saturday 2 August from 3pm – 11pm Palestine House, London WC1V 6JJ Between Sky and Sea is a photography exhibition by the late Palestinian artist Ismail Abu Hatab, created remotely from Gaza during the 2023–2024 war. Despite severe injuries and living under siege, Abu Hatab documented the lives of displaced Palestinians caught “between sky and sea” — exposed to war, weather, and waiting. Between Sky and Sea is an immersive exhibition that seeks to convey the emotional and physical reality of displacement experienced in Gaza, those who were forced to live in fragile tents along the coastline, with only fabric walls between them and the sky, the sea, and the constant threat of bombardment. Set within a symbolic tent echoing Gaza’s camps, the exhibition combines immersive visuals and audio to explore exile, memory, and resilience. It centres people—not objects—as the heart of its sensory storytelling. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/palestinehouse/1782602 BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS). ”German retail giant Aldi reportedly stopped Israeli imports due to boycott pressure https://www.instagram.com/p/DMCYDnktI4L/ Airbnb: Stop Listing Properties On Stolen Land! Source: CODEPINK Date: July 2025 Sign our petition to let Airbnb know that perpetuating Israel’s violations of international law is reprehensible. Airbnb has previously taken down listings on illegal settlements in 2018 and we can pressure them to do it again!  https://www.codepink.org/stopairbnb

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 28 July at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. Cafe Palestine – Listen to Gaza notes of meeting Cafe Palestine – Listen to Gaza was a joint event between the Palestine Trauma Centre UK (https://www.palestinetraumacentre.uk/) and the UK Palestine Mental Health Network which took place on 12 July. The full minutes (see link below) contain testimonies from the Palestine Trauma Centre (UK) therapy team in Gaza. They have witnessed and endured the ongoing genocide and in this meeting had opportunities to share what they see, feel and think with their supporters in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/listen-to-gaza-12-7-2025-minutes/ British surgeon warns Gaza patients dying from wounds due to starvation Source: NHS surgeon Professor Nick Maynard in The New Arab Date: 17 July A British surgeon in Gaza has warned that malnutrition was preventing patients from being able to recover from injuries sustained in the war. https://www.newarab.com/news/surgeon-warns-gaza-patients-dying-wounds-due-starvation MAP clinic forced to close Source: Medical Aid for Palestinians Date: 21 July Medical Aid for Palestine’s life-saving Solidarity Polyclinic was forced to close after the Israeli military issued forced displacement orders in the southwest areas of Deir al-Balah City. Our colleagues here at MAP were forced to evacuate immediately, unable to relocate all our critical supplies and equipment. https://www.instagram.com/medicalaidpal/p/DMVoQq0xqZJ/?img_index=1 Detained Gaza doctor Abu Safiya in critical condition, lawyer says Source: Middle East Eye Date: 13 July The health of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, has severely deteriorated in Israeli detention in Israel’s infamous Ofer prison, his lawyer said in a statement on social media. Israeli forces arrested Abu Safiya on 27 December from the hospital in Beit Lahia in north Gaza, which was left out of service following Israeli attacks. All medical staff, patients, and their relatives were taken out of the hospital at gunpoint, forced to strip down to their underwear. Remaining in solitary confinement, Abu Safiya has lost more than 40kg (88 pounds) since his arrest and was reportedly beaten on 24 June, his lawyer said. He was denied medical care despite requesting treatment for injuries to his ribs, face and back, as well as for irregular cardiology test results. https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/lawyer-says-detained-gaza-doctor-hussam-abu-safia-critical-condition Imagine (new campaign video) Source: Healthworkers4Palestine (projection onto St Thomas’s Hospital) Date: 17 July On 14 July, the walls of St Thomas’ Hospital lit up with a powerful projection: an animated film imagining what it would look like if the assault on Gaza was happening here in London. “Imagine your city under siege. Foreign tanks roll through your streets. Fire rains down from above—drones, airstrikes, F-16s” https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMLgD8fOYKI/ Psychoanalytic Hub for Online Liberatory Education (new web resource) Source: P-HOLE Date: July 2025 Let’s face it: traditional models of psychoanalysis have too often failed minoritised people. Sometimes this is a matter of the unreflective ways psychoanalytic theory and practice presume whiteness, heterosexuality, binary gender, non-disabled status, and middle-class (if not upper-middle-class) economic background. This can result in epistemic and ethical gaps in which non-normative subjects speak but cannot be heard within the terms of traditional psychoanalysis – whether as patients, candidates, or colleagues. When psychoanalysts cannot reckon with the social context that is already in the consulting room or the educational institute, they implicitly uphold systems of domination. They also diminish the extraordinary capacity and complexity of psychoanalysis to move in the spaces between outside and inside, the social and the psychic. https://p-hole.com/ ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 6 weeks we have added 7 new, relevant actions to our Action page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Red Line for Gaza Source: Oxfam UK Date: July 2025 A digital, online action Starving people. Killing civilians. Targeting children. An entire population could be facing erasure. We have all watched in horror as Israel crosses red line after red line in Gaza. Together we say: enough. Let’s speak out, in our masses, right now. Your photo will help create a powerful image we’ll share during upcoming days of action for Gaza – a clear message from people across the country: this is our red line. This isn’t just symbolic. It’s our collective voice against the horrors being inflicted on people in Gaza – a public stand against the UK’s role, and a demand for justice. https://oxfamapps.org.uk/redline/ EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 23 July, there are 10 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENTS Palestinian Childhoods – Solidarity and Sumud Monday 1 – Sunday 14 September – Open Daily 10am – 4pm At UCL East, Marshgate Building, London E20 2AE An immersive experience to counter the dehumanisation of the Palestinian people. Besides the exhibition, the event includes an international conference, film screening, family day, and fabric arts project. https://reimaginingchildhoodstudies.com/solidarity_and_sumud_programme/ The Gaza Tribunal Date: Thursday 4 and Friday 5 September Source: The Gaza Tribunal The Tribunal will be streamed live to registered users starting at 10am on Thursday 4 September. It is organised following the refusal by the Government of the call from Jeremy Corbyn to hold an independent inquiry into UK involvement in Israeli military operations in Gaza. […] The Tribunal will examine Britain’s role in war crimes perpetrated in Gaza. Hearing from experts and witnesses, the tribunal will establish the full scale of our government’s complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian people. The Tribunal will hear from expert witnesses including Palestinians on the ground in Gaza, journalists who have covered the conflict, health and aid workers who have worked in Palestine as well as legal experts and UN officials who have intimate knowledge of the situation. https://thegazatribunal.uk/ BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Cut all ties with Israel Source: Francesca Albanese in Jacobin Date: 17 July In her address to the Bogotá Conference on 15 July, UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese explained why the world’s nations must suspend all ties with Israel. Jacobin republishes her remarks in full https://jacobin.com/2025/07/albanese-palestine-israel-cut-ties/ Slovenia bans far-right Israeli cabinet Ministers, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir https://www.instagram.com/p/DMPyZY4TmrI/ Here’s why I won’t be chairing a panel on Violence Against Women and Girls for the NSPCC at the Labour Party Conference in September Source: Nicola Thorp on Instagram Date: 18 July https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMQVtjRtega Belgian court bans further transit of all military equipment to Israel in landmark ruling Source: 11.11.11, the Flemish coalition for International Solidarity Date: 17 July In a groundbreaking ruling, the Brussels Court of First Instance has not only ordered the Flemish government to block a specific container of military equipment but also banned all further transit of military material to Israel. https://pers.11.be/belgian-court-bans-further-transit-of-all-military-equipment-to-israel-in-landmark-ruling

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 21 July at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. National March for Palestine Saturday 19 July – Assemble 12 noon at Embankment station As our government seeks to repress the movement for Palestine, and Israel continues to commit genocide in Gaza, it is more important than ever that we continue to show solidarity with Palestine and pressure our government to #StopArmingIsrael. Join us as we march in London for Palestine once more. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-march-for-palestine-stop-starving-gaza/ On the final day of #FASTFORGAZA on Monday 14 July, fasters and supporters marched from Parliament to the Foreign Office to deliver a letter of protest. The letter calls for: “The resumption of food provision by the regular agencies which have a proven success record in effectively delivering aid”. It is signed in the name of the four UK-Palestine Mental Health Network Steering Group members and more than 100 activists who took part in the fast.  Letter delivered to David Lammy: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/letter-to-foreign-secretary-14-july-2025/ 3-minute video of fasters and supporters delivering the letter, including a summary at the end of the Fast by Gwyn Daniel: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/delivery-of-fast-for-gaza-letter-to-foreign-secretary/ FAST FOR GAZA – SUMMARY AND FEEDBACK The Fast for Gaza concluded on Monday 14 July with participants marching from Parliament to the Foreign Office, delivering a letter demanding the resumption of UNRWA aid and the dismantling of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Participants and supporters overwhelmingly praised the event, highlighting renewed commitment, solidarity, and emotional support across diverse religious and secular communities. The public response was largely positive, notably aided by a scroll displaying the names of Gazans killed on July 2nd, which effectively attracted attention and facilitated meaningful conversations. Twelve MPs and two Lords visited the demonstration, underscoring its political visibility. Although symbolic, the fast significantly boosted solidarity, communicated strong support to people in Gaza, and inspired similar events, including a planned fast in Glasgow in early August. The organisers encourage further local actions and urge continued advocacy through MPs.Read the full report here: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/fast-for-gaza-final-report/ A large selection of photos and videos from Fast for Gaza bearing witness to the outrage and commitment of activists and supporters is available on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/fast-for-gaza/ “A moment amongst the horror to feel the warmth and comradeship of our group. And it was truly an honour and privilege to spend the day with you.” “Let us fight for Gaza as we have never fought before.” “The other pleasing feedback came from the frequent ‘crocodiles’ of schoolchildren who would invariably, on seeing us, start shouting en masse: ‘Free Palestine!’” Cafe Palestine: Listen to Gaza A live link-up with mental health workers in Gaza, organised jointly by the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network and the Palestine Trauma Centre (UK), took place on Saturday 12 July. There will be a full report about this meeting in the next mailing.  Mental health in Gaza: a war on babies, children and families Source: Britain Palestine Project Date: Video and podcast of event that took place on 10 July The recording features child psychotherapist Teresa Bailey, discussing the profound psychological impact of the Gaza conflict on infants, children and families, as presented via the Britain Palestine Project. The programme explores intergenerational trauma and disrupted childhood development amidst ongoing violence. https://britainpalestineproject.org/mental-health/ Arabic language book group discussing “Incarcerated Childhood and the Politics of Unchilding” by Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kervorkian Source: USA-Palestine Mental Health Network Date:  The Arabic language group will have six 90-minutes sessions on Sundays: 21 September – 26 October  12:30-2:00 pm (Eastern time) / 5:30-7:00 pm (UK) To deepen our understanding of “unchilding” and inspire people across the mental health community and beyond to act to stop the atrocities committed by the State of Israel, we are hosting reading/discussion groups about Incarcerated Childhood and the Politics of Unchilding by Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kervorkian (Cambridge University Press, 2019). The book centres the lived experiences of Palestinian children through their own words and the words of their parents. Many of the experiences are unspeakable and the author documents how memories of violations reside in embodied forms, transcending generations within Palestinian families. [..] https://mailchi.mp/187e9cd98da5/arabic-language-group-for-incarcerated-childhood-and-the-politics-of-unchilding-fall-41805 Jeff Halper’s July 2025 update – we’re in the end game Source: ICAHD (Committee Against House Demolitions) Date: 9 July This ICAHD update assesses the intensifying situation in Israel-Palestine, warning that the conflict has reached a critical “endgame” stage. It analyses geopolitical dynamics, including how developments like proposed “humanitarian cities” mask deeper strategies of displacement. https://icahd.org/2025/07/09/jeff-halpers-july-2025-update-were-in-the-end-game/ At Hague Group Emergency Summit, 30+ Nations Seek to “Halt the Genocide in Gaza” Host nation Colombia’s deputy foreign minister said participants “will not only reaffirm their commitment to opposing genocide, but also formulate concrete steps to move from words to collective action.” https://www.commondreams.org/news/hague-group-summit-colombia ACTIONSOur Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 4 weeks we have added 7 new, relevant actions to our Action page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Francesca Albanese urges users to boycott airbnb and Booking.com https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL-Qf1ExGIG/ EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 16 July, there are 10 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ The myth of anti‑racism in British mental health care Source: Healing Justice LDN Date: 22 July This online event launches a research project investigating how Palestinian solidarity is marginalised within British mental health care. Speakers will explore racism in institutions, training, and therapy, spotlighting voices usually silenced. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-myth-of-anti-racism-in-british-mental-health-care-online-tickets-1441078146529 BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Unite union votes for Israel arms embargo Source: Novaramedia Date: Monday 14 July Unite, one of the largest trade unions in the UK, has voted to support members who refuse to build, handle or transport weapons destined for Israel and for a full arms embargo on Israel. Unite’s policy conference passed a statement which commits the union to support worker-led campaigns to boycott the handling of Israeli goods, as well as campaigns for divestment from Israeli companies. The passage of the statement constitutes a breakthrough for pro-Palestine campaigners within the union. https://novaramedia.com/2025/07/14/unite-votes-for-israel-arms-embargo/ Top Economists Back Francesca Albanese’s Report on the ‘Economy of Genocide’ in Gaza Source: Zeteo Date: 7 July Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, French economist Thomas Piketty, and others join open letter supporting Albanese amid US calls to remove her as the UN special rapporteur on Palestine. https://zeteo.com/p/exclusive-top-economists-back-francesca Italian supermarket chain Coop switches Israeli products for Gaza Cola https://www.instagram.com/p/DLXkZQntskw/

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space
Monday 14 July at 1pm (UK time)
This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news.
Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting.

CAFE PALESTINE: LISTEN TO GAZA
SATURDAY 12 JULY
11:00-12:30 (UK) / 13.00-14.30 (Palestine)
Cafe Palestine: Listen to Gaza
A joint event between the Palestine Trauma Centre UK (https://www.palestinetraumacentre.uk/) and the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network
Hosted by Mohamed Altawil, David Harrold and Gwyn Daniel

In this event we aim to provide you with live updates from our Mental Health colleagues in Gaza on the impact of nearly two years of genocide on them, the community and the families they work with. We will hear first-hand about the profound suffering that bombing, killing, infrastructure destruction, displacement and starvation are causing. Together with the Gaza team we will also share news about some of the ongoing psychological support they continue to provide for parents and children even in these utterly dire and dangerous conditions.

This event will be dependent on the internet connection our colleagues in Gaza can obtain on the day so we will not give in advance the names of the participants from Gaza and neither can we give a detailed programme. But we will have many testimonies to share directly or indirectly. We hope you will join to give the widest possible audience for our steadfast and heroic colleagues in Gaza. They must know they are not alone.

Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting.

A new poem by Dr. Saeed Mohammed Al-Kahlout of the Palestine Trauma Center (UK)

We deserve a more dignified death.
A death that grants time for mourning —
time to weep,
to pause by the grave —
I refuse to call it a hole —
to cry for the ones lost,
to scold them gently for leaving too soon,
to beg them to return,
even for a moment,
so we might rewrite a few pages of the story.
[…]

Full poem: 
https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/we-deserve-a-more-dignified-death/

UKPALMHN FAST FOR GAZA
Now in its second week
From 1 July – 14 July daily from 9am to 7pm
outside Parliament
#FASTFORGAZA

The FAST FOR GAZA started outside Parliament on Tuesday 1 July and will last for 14 days from 9am – 7pm with a group of 4 volunteers fasting for ten hours. The purpose of this symbolic fast is to show solidarity with the people of Gaza and to highlight that the situation remains absolutely catastrophic. Gwyn Daniel, a member of the UKPMHN Steering Group has recorded a video providing more information about the event. The first week of the fast has been very positive. The fasters and activists have engaged with the public and been visited by a number of MPs, activists and other well-known supporters. On our website there are photos of each daily group of fasters. There are also currently 24 short videos of the fasters, activists and well-known supporters recording their message to the people of Gaza and explaining why they are supporting the fast. UPDATE! On Monday 14 July, the last day of the fast, we will walk together from Parliament (Carriage Gate) to the Foreign Office to deliver a letter to David Lammy urging the resumption of aid through trusted channels and for the dismantling of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. We will do this between 4.30pm and 5pm. Please come and join us if you can! You can find daily updated photos and videos on: Website: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/fast-for-gaza/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukpmhn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKPMHN Hashtag: #FASTFORGAZA WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write to your MP and encourage them to demonstrate their solidarity by visiting the fasters outside Parliament. Urge them to record a 1-minute video with a message to the people of Gaza that we will publish on our website and social media.We recommend this moving introduction to the FAST FOR GAZA by Gwyn Daniel, a member of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network Steering Group. She introduces the fast and then reads an up to date message from a contact in Gaza. National March for Palestine Saturday 19 July – Assemble 12 noon at Embankment station As our government seeks to repress the movement for Palestine and Israel continues to commit genocide in Gaza its more important than ever that we continue to show solidarity with Palestine and pressure our government to #StopArmingIsrael. Join us as we march in London for Palestine once more. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-march-for-palestine-stop-starving-gaza/ The UK-Palestine Mental Health Network banner will be at the march. We will assemble at 11:45 in Charing Cross Station close to Platform 1. All are welcome to join us. An excerpt from Dr. Samah Jabr’s lecture for the American University of Beirut, reflecting on the difference between therapy and healing in the context of collective trauma Source: Dr Samah Jabr Date: 3 July https://www.linkedin.com/posts/samah-jabr-25509883_an-excerpt-from-dr-samah-jabrs-lecture-activity-7346164559650418688-w13O/ ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 4 weeks we have added 7 new, relevant actions to our Action page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION A call to boycott the Society of Psychotherapy Research (SPR) for its complicity in Israel’s occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Palestine Source: USA-Palestine Mental Health Network Date: 7 July Since its inception, the USA-Palestine Mental Health Network has initiated and supported the “Don’t Go” (https://usapalmhn.org/about-dont-go/) and “Do No Harm” (https://usapalmhn.org/portfolio-item/the-do-no-harm-campaign/) campaigns that expose the complicity of an identified mental health organisation with institutions of Israeli settler colonial apartheid. We endorse the call to boycott the Society of Psychotherapy Research (SPR) for its complicity in Israel’s occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Palestine. We urge you to read this statement and add your endorsement. https://mailchi.mp/444a10dd37f7/call-to-boycott-spr EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 9 July, there are 14 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENTS Teresa Bailey, UK-Palestine Mental Health Network Steering Committee member, is speaking at a Britain Palestine Project webinar on Thursday 10 July at 3pm (UK time)

Human Rights Defenders: Resisting Settler Terrorism
Tuesday 15 July at 6:00pm (UK)
Organised by the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (webinar)
With Issa Amro, Youth Against Settlements, Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Torat Tzedek
Settler violence in the West Bank has surged since 7th October 2023 while the world’s attention has focused on Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Palestinians living in the rural parts of Area C are most vulnerable. […] But setter violence does not only occur in Area C. Extreme religious settlers seek to displace Palestinians living in Hebron where the Tel Rumeida neighborhood, near the Ibrahimi Mosque (the Tomb of the Patriarchs) is located).[…] Attend this one-hour webinar to receive the latest updates on settler violence, why it has intensified, and how this phenomenon is being resisted.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BPI7Fb2QTzW4uG8ebbXANw

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)
A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).”

Conference – Free Palestine: BDS at 20
Saturday 12 July
Palestine Solidarity Campaign are hosting a landmark conference in central London to mark 20 years since the Palestinian call for BDS, and to chart the way forward for our campaigning in Britain after nearly 21 months of protest against Israel’s genocide. We’ll be joined by a range of inspiring speakers, including Omar Barghouti, co-founder of the BDS movement, to discuss how to ramp up our boycott campaigns against complicit corporations like Barclays, continue to win divestment from councils and universities, and push for sanctions on Israel.
https://shop.palestinecampaign.org/products/conference-free-palestine-bds-at-20

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 7 July at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. Hold the date Cafe Palestine – Listening to Gaza Saturday 12 July at 11:00 (UK time) More details to follow Are you feeling desperate and powerless at the mass murder and starvation in Gaza? Here is an act of solidarity you can join .. .UK-PALESTINE MENTAL HEALTH NETWORK FAST FOR GAZA We recommend this moving introduction to the FAST FOR GAZA by Gwyn Daniel, a member of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network Steering Group. She introduces the fast and then reads an up to date message from a contact in Gaza.

The FAST FOR GAZA started outside Parliament on Tuesday 1 July and will last for 14 days from 9am – 7pm with a group of 4 volunteers fasting for ten hours. The purpose of this symbolic fast is to show solidarity with the people of Gaza and to highlight that the situation remains absolutely catastrophic. Gwyn Daniel, a member of the UKPMHN Steering Group recorded a video providing more information about the event.

During the first two days, the fasters have been visited by a number of MPs:
Adnan Hussein, Ayoub Khan, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussein, Jeremy Corbyn, John Trickett, Richard Burgon, and Shokat Adam.

Others who have participated in or visited the fast include:
Avi Shlaim, Jenny Manson, Laura Alvarez,  Oreet Ashery, Penny Green,  Victoria Brittain

Photos, videos and further information are available at this dedicated page:
https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/fast-for-gaza/

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Write to your MP and encourage them to demonstrate their solidrity by visiting the fasters outside Parliament. Urge them to record a 1-minute video with a message to the people of Gaza that we will publish on our website and social media.

Please respond to this address gwynfast4gaza@gmail.com to register your interest for the FAST FOR GAZA and you will be sent further details and a document on which you can indicate the day/days on which you can join us.

Up to date information about the FAST FOR GAZA can be found on this page (and will be updated throughout the event):https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/fast-for-gaza/

Jeremy Corbyn, MP, speaking at the launch of FAST FOR GAZA outside Parliament on Tuesday 1 July.

Israeli impunity and the neo‑colonial system that dehumanises Palestinians
Source: Palestine-Global Mental Health Network writing in CounterPunch
Date:20 June
A political analysis that examines how systemic dispossession and dehumanisation underpin Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, framing it as part of a larger neo‑colonial structure. It argues that this entrenched framework enables widespread impunity for violations against Indigenous Palestinians.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/06/20/israeli-impunity-and-the-neo-colonial-system-that-dehumanizes-palestinians/

MedEvac 4 Gaza’s Children: briefing paper
MedEvac 4 Gaza’s Children is a group of doctors, nurses and other professionals who work with children. Many of the medical staff have worked in Gaza for some years, The aim of the group is to campaign for and facilitate the evacuation of critically ill (for example: cancer, diabetes, kidney failure) or children severely injured by bombs, shrapnel, gunshots from Gaza to countries that can provide specialist treatment and rehabilitation since all the hospitals, specialist clinics and rehab facilities have been deliberately destroyed and many medical staff murdered or abducted. 
Many countries around the world have helped evacuate these children and provided treatment. This includes the US which has welcomed many children. The UK has accepted 2. 
The aim of the briefing was to inform MPs of the urgent need to evacuate these children. If Israel had not destroyed the health system in Gaza (with tacit support from the UK) there would be no need for evacuation.
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/14b9wZe0bf7vsjACSb__y36Io04ZTMbqXdD0IC3q1rrc/mobilebasic

The British Medical Association (BMA) motions supporting for Palestinian rights
Source: BMA
Date: 25 June
At its 2025 Annual Representative Meeting, the BMA passed motions affirming that criticism of Israel’s actions is not inherently antisemitic, and supporting the right of doctors and students to advocate for Palestinian rights without facing disciplinary action. The BMA condemned the destruction of hospitals and the deaths of healthcare workers in Gaza, calling these grave breaches of international law. The motions urged the UK government to support international investigations into potential war crimes, called for the release of detained healthcare workers, and demanded unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza. The BMA also reaffirmed its previous calls for upholding international humanitarian law and protecting healthcare workers, while stressing its commitment to opposing all forms of antisemitism and protecting freedom of expression within the medical profession.
https://www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-centre/arm-2025-bma-passes-resolutions-on-international-relations

From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide
Source: UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese
Date: July 2025
This report investigates the corporate machinery sustaining Israel’s settler-colonial project of displacement and replacement of the Palestinians in the occupied territory. While political leaders and governments shirk their obligations, far too many corporate entities have profited from Israel’s economy of illegal occupation, apartheid and now, genocide. The complicity exposed by this report is just the tip of the iceberg and ending it will not happen without holding the private sector accountable, including its executives. International law recognises varying degrees of responsibility – each requiring scrutiny and accountability, particularly in this case, where a people’s self-determination and very existence are at stake. This is a necessary step to end the genocide and to dismantle the global system that has allowed it.
https://www.un.org/unispal/document/a-hrc-59-23-from-economy-of-occupation-to-economy-of-genocide-report-special-rapporteur-francesca-albanese-palestine-2025/

UNICEF UK Ambassador Jemima Khan speaks to James Elder on the current situation for Children in Gaza
Source: UNICEF UK
Date: 30 June
UNICEF UK Ambassador Jemima Khan interviewed UNICEF Global Spokesperson James Elder whilst he was in Gaza earlier this month. James shares his firsthand account of what he has seen and why the situation for children continues to get worse. This is the most critical moment for Gaza’s children since this brutal war began. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU7OoLcMNfM

Israeli soldiers killed at least 410 people at food aid sites in Gaza in June
Source: The Intercept
Date: 27 June
An investigative report alleging that Israeli forces have killed Palestinians attempting to access humanitarian aid in Gaza, highlighting cases where people were shot during food distribution operations. It calls into question the conduct of military units operating around aid sites.
https://theintercept.com/2025/06/27/israel-killed-palestinians-food-aid-gaza/

Channel 4 to broadcast Gaza: Doctors Under Attack
Source: Channel 4
Date: 28 June
A press release announcing that Channel 4 will air the BBC‑commissioned documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, following its shelving by the BBC. The film profiles medical workers in Gaza who have operated under fire during the conflict.
https://www.channel4.com/press/news/channel-4-broadcast-gaza-doctors-under-attack

Beyond the West Bank: the new frontier of Israel’s settlement expansion
On Thursday evening, 26th June, Channel 4 News broadcast a strong 12-minute report entitled Beyond the West Bank: the new frontier of Israel’s settlement expansion filmed over three years about the demolition of Palestinian homes both in the West Bank and within the state of Israel, locations all highlighted by ICAHD over the years.
Watch this important documentary; forward it to your networks and to your MP. Then congratulate Channel 4 News for telling this story. Leave comments on the page or write to: 

C4Nstories@itn.co.uk. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1kRsu2kMPM

“I realise it can make some media outlets nervous, but what we’re seeing here is genocide.” James Smith, an emergency doctor who has worked in Gaza, says newborn babies dying of starvation is a “deliberate policy” by Israel.
Source: LBC
Date: 28 June
https://www.24vids.com/video/i-realise-it-can-make-some-media-outlets-nervous-but-what-were-seeing-here-is-p-tw-1938913963334402453

ACTIONS

Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 4 weeks we have added 10 new, relevant actions to our Action page.
https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/

FEATURED ACTION

Red Line for Gaza
Source: Oxfam UK
Date: July 2025
A digital, online action
Starving people. Killing civilians. Targeting children. An entire population could be facing erasure. We have all watched in horror as Israel crosses red line after red line in Gaza. Together we say: enough. Let’s speak out, in our masses, right now.
Your photo will help create a powerful image we’ll share during upcoming days of action for Gaza – a clear message from people across the country: this is our red line. This isn’t just symbolic. It’s our collective voice against the horrors being inflicted on people in Gaza – a public stand against the UK’s role, and a demand for justice.
https://oxfamapps.org.uk/redline/

EVENTS

Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 25 June, there are 11 up to date events listed.
https://ukpalmhn.com/events/

FEATURED EVENT

Palestine: Repair & Return – Stories of Art and Drama
Thursday 3 July 2025 at 6.30pm (UK time)
Presented by Theatre for Everybody (Gaza) & Az Theatre (London)
A public conversation in-person at P21 Gallery, 21-23 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD and online.
This event will raise, and listen to, the voices of arts, drama and theatre practitioners in Palestine and throughout the world talking about how their work continues in the midst of genocide, struggle for liberation, displacement and armed violence, and how vital it is.
https://mailchi.mp/45d9d04a1a7a/coming-full-circle-back-to-our-centre-stories-of-art-and-drama
Call for co-creators:
The organisers are keen to establish links with individuals, groups, and organisations with experience working in four areas. 1. food sovereignty, 2. with detainees, including those who have survived abuse and torture, 3. disability 4. homelessness/displacement.
Your expertise would be appreciated and highly valued. We would love to have you on board in some way. These events are public conversations exploring how values and insights might converge with the prospect of joint action later.
For further information please contact:
Naomi: naymicole@gmail.com or
Jonathan: info@aztheatre.org.uk

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)

A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).”

The Co-op will implement boycott of Israeli goods
Major BDS victory!
The Co-op has announced that it will implement the motion passed at its AGM last month by ending the sourcing of products from Israel. All Israeli whole products will now be removed from the shelves.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DLSGSejoyM5/

Don’t Buy Apartheid campaign (Palestine Solidarity Campaign):
https://palestinecampaign.org/campaigns/dont-buy-apartheid/

How to join the Co-op (costs £1):
https://www.coop.co.uk/membership

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 23 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please contact ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. National Demonstration for Palestine Saturday 21 June – assemble at 12 noon in Russell Square – End the Genocide – Stop Arming Israel – Stop Starving Gaza The protest aims to mobilise public pressure on the UK government to take concrete action. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-21-june-25/ The UK-Palestine Mental Health Network banner will be at the march. All are welcome to join us. We will meet at 12:00 noon at: Bloomsbury Square Gardens, London WC1A 2PJ This is the same location where we have assembled for previous marches from Russell Square. Hold the date Cafe Palestine – Listening to Gaza Saturday 12 July at 11:00 (UK time) More details to follow New activist web pages UKPALMHN is pleased to announce that we are now hosting web pages for four allied mental health groups on our website. There are two allied mental health groups already on our website and two new ones. The two, new allied mental health groups that now have web pages on our site are: FAMILY THERAPISTS FOR PALESTINE This is a safe space for those supporting Palestine and resisting the dehumanisation, apartheid, colonisation and genocide to which Palestinians are subjected. Family Therapists for Palestine welcomes new members. Please contact Gwyn Daniel (danielgwyn@gmail.com). https://ukpalmhn.com/family-therapists-for-palestine/ Summary of June 2025 update from Family Therapists for Palestine: Family Therapists for Palestine: amplifying voices and shaping change Family Therapists for Palestine are bringing critical conversations to major conferences this year, with members presenting innovative workshops at both the AFT in Brighton and EFTA in Lyon. From exploring the political dimensions of therapy to advocating for refugee youth and amplifying unheard Palestinian voices, their sessions promise thought-provoking and impactful dialogue. Meanwhile, the group is actively working to expand the ethical commitments of family therapy associations, advocating for a stronger stance on equity, social justice, and human rights. Learn more about their inspiring efforts and upcoming events. The full text of the most recent update and further information about the group can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/family-therapists-for-palestine/ PSYCHIATRISTS FOR PALESTINE The group was set up in Apr 2025 and currently has a mailing list of about 60 members. Our aims are to:Promote mental health in Palestine within the frameworks of medical ethics, social justice and Human RightsProvide a platform for solidarity and mutual support and learning with psychiatrists and mental health practitioners in PalestineThe work of the group is structured around 4 working groups:Build relationships and networksPartner for education and trainingSupport clinicians and clinical workOrganise for advocacy and influenceThis is overseen by a steering committee, and we meet regularly to review and develop our work.. We invite UK-based psychiatrists to join our group. To contact us, please email: psychiatrists4palestine@gmail.com Find more information on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/psychiatrists-4-palestine/ The existing allied mental health groups on our site are: CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPISTS FOR PALESTINE Summary of June 2025 update from Child Psychotherapists for Palestine: Child psychotherapists speak out for Gaza’s children Child psychotherapists across the UK are standing in solidarity with colleagues and families in Gaza and the West Bank. They are offering clinical support, sharing expertise, and urging professional bodies to condemn the deliberate targeting of children. A moving new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week has been produced, alongside active contributions to public awareness and parliamentary advocacy. The full text of the most recent update and further information about the group can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/family-therapists-for-palestine/ Other resources from June 2025 Powerful new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2025: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/infant-mental-health-awareness-week-2025-slides/ Child Psychotherapists for Palestine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palestineukchildpsychotherapy/ Adam Goren, child psychotherapist, speaking on a recent Radio Voice of Islam podcast about the effects on children of the war on Gaza: https://soundcloud.com/voislam/weekend-world-podcast-08-06-2025-israel-war-on-gaza-a-war-on-children Email: to contact Child Psychotherapists for Palestine, please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com More information and recent update about the work of the network: https://ukpalmhn.com/child-psychotherapists-for-palestine/ PSYCHOANALYTIC VOICES FOR PALESTINE The group was formed by a group of psychoanalytic clinicians, current or former registrants of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), who signed a Statement in January 2024 entitled ‘A Call for Psychoanalytic Professionals to address the human catastrophe in Gaza’. Summary of June 2025 update from :Psychoanalytic Voices for Palestine: Psychoanalytic Voices for Palestine: fostering dialogue and action Psychoanalytic Voices for Palestine (PVP) continues to provide mutual support and collective advocacy, helping members speak out within their professional associations and beyond. Their recent conference on Palestine, Racism, and the Ethical Challenges Facing Psychoanalytic Practitioners drew over 300 participants and raised funds for Medical Aid for Palestine. PVP is now seeking to build dialogue with other UK mental health professionals, exploring how the sector can develop a united, principled response to genocide and human rights violations. The full text of the most recent update and plans for future action can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/pvp/further-action-and-future-events/ Further information about the group can be found on this page: https://ukpalmhn.com/pvp/ If you are a current or former member of the BPC and would like to join the group, please email us at pav4pal@gmail.com Other resources from June 2025 The dialogue with other mental health professionals could take inspiration from the work/approach of Doctors against Genocide (DAG) in emphasising our duty as mental health workers to act to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity, in promoting a health perspective on the definition and impact of genocide, and on developing mechanisms by which we might be enabled to speak out. Here are links to DAG resources that could provide useful templates. Medical definition of Genocide: https://doctorsagainstgenocide.org/medical-genocide-def Report submitted to the UN on ”Healthcare workers as human rights defenders” https://doctorsagainstgenocide.org/genocide-un-health-report “End Genocide Prescription” https://doctorsagainstgenocide.org/end-genocide-prescription UKPALMHN aims to amplify Palestinian voices and to promote mental health related networking and actions in supporting justice for Palestinians. If you would like to promote your work in this newsletter than please write to: ukpalmhn@gmail.com ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 4 weeks we have added 9 new, relevant actions to our Action page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION

Further information: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/fast-for-gaza/

Unexplained diseases spread among Gaza’s children amid genocide
Source: The New Arab
Date: 11 June 2025
Gaza’s children are suffering from panic attacks, hair whitening, vitiligo, paralysis, and other conditions likely tied to severe trauma under genocide.
https://www.newarab.com/features/unexplained-diseases-spread-among-gazas-children-amid-genocide

Genocide in Gaza: moral and ethical failures of medical institutions
Source: The Lancet (Correspondence)
Date: 13 June
The correspondence critically examines the collapse of Gaza’s medical institutions and reproductive-health infrastructure under siege.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01173-0/fulltext

Israel’s war on reproduction in Gaza
Source: MERIP
Date: 11 June
The analysis highlights repeated strikes on hospitals, fertility clinics, maternity wards, and other reproductive-health facilities in Gaza since October 2023.
https://merip.org/2025/06/israels-war-on-reproduction-in-gaza/

Israel guilty of ‘extermination’ in attacks on schools, mosques: UN
Source: Al Jazeera
Date: 10 June 2025
An independent UN commission finds that Israel’s strikes on schools and mosques harboring civilians may amount to the crime against humanity of “extermination.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/10/israel-guilty-of-extermination-in-attacks-on-schools-mosques-un

77 Years of Ongoing Nakba (2 hour recording of webinar)
Source: Palestine-Global and Chile-Palestine Mental Health Networks
Date: 30 May
The event marked 77 years of the ongoing Nakba—a catastrophe that began long before 1948 and continues relentlessly today. Our people in Gaza endure starvation and bombardment, a genocide livestreamed to a world silent in complicity. Meanwhile, our loved ones in the West Bank and East Jerusalem face daily oppression and unlawful annexation, crimes met consistently by international silence.Yet, despite this profound injustice, we refuse passivity. United, we uplift our collective struggle and remain steadfast in demanding justice, dignity, and freedom for every Palestinian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U-g28AA2tA

EVENTS

Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 18 June, there are 14 up to date events listed.
https://ukpalmhn.com/events/

FEATURED EVENT

The Dramatic Events Unfolding in the Middle East
Wednesday 25 June at 6pm (UK time)
Organised by the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions. In this webinar, Mouin Rabbani, a leading Palestinian researcher, analyst and writer, and Abdel Takriti, whose research focuses on the history of revolutions and state-building in the modern Middle East, engage with Jeff Halper, the Director of ICAHD, in a wide-ranging discussion on where the region is headed.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ix9qgLHZTaaOQh0LlAyvbQ

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS)

A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).

”Tell the Co-op to stop selling Israeli goods
Last month, the Co-op’s AGM voted overwhelmingly for a motion to “cease all trading with Israel” and to take “all Israeli products off the shelves”. The Co-op’s leadership must implement this motion by ending the sale of Israeli goods in Co-op stores. Write to the Co-op’s leadership to call for the motion to be implemented without delay.
https://palestinecampaign.eaction.online/coop

We are doing this because no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying, because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. Greta Thunberg UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 16 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. We apologise for the technical difficulty at the last Solidarity Space meeting which was due to a one-off cause. Thanks are due to the acting chair for dealing with this issue as as well as possible in the circumstances. We anticipate that future meetings will run smoothly.  Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting. National Demonstration for Palestine Saturday 21 June – assemble at 12 noon in Russell Square End the Genocide – Stop Arming Israel – Stop Starving Gaza The protest aims to mobilise public pressure on the UK government to take concrete action. https://palestinecampaign.org/events/national-demonstration-21-june-25/ Hold the date Cafe Palestine – Listening to Gaza Saturday 12 July at 11:00 (UK time) We will team up with the Palestine Trauma Centre (UK) to provide a live link-up with their heroic staff who are continuing to work under the most horrific conditions in Gaza. They want the world to know what is happening and this is an opportunity to hear them speak. [We are aware that “Cafe Palestine” is an inappropriate name in a time of mass starvation but it is an event format that people recognise and that is why we are continuing to use the name.] You can read about the work of the Palestine Trauma Centre (UK) here: https://www.palestinetraumacentre.uk/ Living Through the Unimaginable: A testament from Gaza Source: Dr Yasser Abu Jamei, Director General of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, writing in CounterPunch Date: 11 June How do you provide mental health care to people being annihilated? It’s a question I’m asked constantly as a psychiatrist in Gaza, and one that haunts every interaction I and other clinicians have with the children and families we serve. The answer, I’ve learned after 20 months of genocide, is both simpler and more complex than anyone imagines. In my 20 years as a mental health professional in Gaza, I thought I understood trauma. Then came October 2023, and everything I knew about healing, resilience, and hope was tested against a machinery of annihilation that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year […] https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/06/11/living-through-the-unimaginable-a-testament-from-gaza/ Child psychotherapists speak out for Gaza’s children Child psychotherapists across the UK are standing in solidarity with colleagues and families in Gaza and the West Bank. They are offering clinical support, sharing expertise, and urging professional bodies to condemn the deliberate targeting of children. A moving new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week has been produced, alongside active contributions to public awareness and parliamentary advocacy. Full update from Child Psychotherapists for Palestine: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/child-psychotherapists-update-june-2025/ Powerful new slide deck for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2025: https://ukpalmhn.com/resources/infant-mental-health-awareness-week-2025-slides/ Child Psychotherapists for Palestine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palestineukchildpsychotherapy/ Adam Goren, child psychotherapist, speaking on a recent Radio Voice of Islam podcast about the effects on children of the war on Gaza: https://soundcloud.com/voislam/weekend-world-podcast-08-06-2025-israel-war-on-gaza-a-war-on-children To email Child Psychotherapists for Palestine, please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com Petition to the Royal College of Psychiatrists – Call to Action on the Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Are you a UK-based psychiatrist and a humanitarian? Please read, sign, and share this petition. The petition is part of the UK Medics’ Petitions to Royal Colleges for Gaza (UKMPRC) multi-specialty initiative. “We, the undersigned psychiatrists, write with grave urgency regarding the catastrophic and deliberate infliction of psychological trauma in Gaza. The toll of bombardment, mass bereavement, starvation, and the systematic destruction of healthcare has created a mental health emergency with consequences that will span generations. As mental health professionals, we recognize the massive harm these conditions inflict on caregiving relationships. This is causing a profound and intergenerational psychological trauma on Gaza’s civilians, from infants to the elderly, with devastating consequences that will echo for decades. […]” The full text of the petition and supporting documentation is available at this link: https://ukpalmhn.com/petition-to-the-royal-college-of-psychiatrists-call-to-action-on-the-gaza-humanitarian-crisis/ Psychiatrists can sign the petition here: https://sprw.io/stt–0ojV Palestine: Repair & Return – Stories of Art and Drama Thursday 3 July 2025 at 6.30pm (UK time) Presented by Theatre for Everybody (Gaza) & Az Theatre (London) A public conversation in-person at P21 Gallery 21-23 Chalton Street London NW1 1JD and online. This event will raise, and listen to, the voices of arts, drama and theatre practitioners in Palestine and throughout the world talking about how their work continues in the midst of genocide, struggle for liberation, displacement and armed violence, and how vital it is. https://mailchi.mp/45d9d04a1a7a/coming-full-circle-back-to-our-centre-stories-of-art-and-drama Call for co-creators: The organisers are keen to establish links with individuals, groups, and organisations with experience working in four areas. 1. food sovereignty, 2. with detainees, including those who have survived abuse and torture, 3. disability 4. homelessness/displacement. Your expertise would be appreciated and highly valued. We would love to have you on board in some way. These events are public conversations exploring how values and insights might converge with the prospect of joint action later. For further information please contact: Naomi: naymicole@gmail.com or Jonathan: info@aztheatre.org.uk Social workers call for ceasefire in Gaza, an end to arms sales and trade sanctions Source: Professional Social Work Magazine (PSW) Date: 3 June PSW is published by the BASW, the British Association of Social Workers. The magazine has published an article highlighting a petition for UK-based aid, health and social care workers calling for a ceasefire and a new statement issued by the BASW and the Social Workers Union, supporting calls for a ceasefire. The statement also calls on the UK government to immediately end arms sales to Israel and implement trade sanctions, among other actions. https://new.basw.co.uk/about-social-work/psw-magazine/articles/social-care-and-health-sector-call-ceasefire-gaza Owen Jones wins the Amnesty Media Awards’ first ever People’s Choice Award. Source: Owen Jones on Instagram Date: 5 June We received hundreds of nominations for a journalists who supporters believed should be recognised for their exceptional work towards making the world a fairer, more equitable place. We put the top ten people out to a public vote and after tens of thousands of votes, your winner is Owen Jones. Here is what Owen Jones had to say on the night. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKfk5lfvwak/ EVENTS Our Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 11 June, there are 14 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Sustaining Health and Healthcare in a Time of Genocide Date: Saturday 14 June from 10:30am -5:00pm at the University of Glasgow. Source: Scottish Palestinian Health Partnership (SPHP) SPHP is a network of healthcare professionals collaborating in support of health and healthcare in Palestine. Our forthcoming conference is an interactive event focusing on the impact of trauma and loss for Palestinians and the implications for mental health and wellbeing. With presentations from: Dr Yasser Abu Jumei (Gaza Community Mental Health Programme), Dr Andy Ferguson (IDEALS) and others. For further information and booking: https://scotpalhp.org/event/scottish-palestinian-health–partnership-conference/ ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. In the past 4 weeks we have added 7 new, relevant actions to our Action page. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTION Definitive ceasefire now Act now and help protect children living in conflict A Save the Children petition The international community cannot afford to fail Palestinian children. We must demand that the ceasefire becomes definitive and put an end to the violence now. Together, we can protect children from the horrors of this conflict. Stand in unity with the hundreds of thousands who have already taken action and sign the petition for a definitive ceasefire now. Children must be protected. Stop the war on children https://www.savethechildren.net/takeaction/stop-war-children BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS) A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS).” Polling shows British public strongly backs sanctions on Israel Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: 4 June A new poll conducted by OpiniumResearch for PSC shows broad public support for an arms trade ban, sanctions on Israeli ministers, supermarkets to boycott Israeli goods and Israel to be expelled from the UN. https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1930181609426215370

UKPALMHN Solidarity Space Monday 9 June at 1pm (UK time) This is an open space where people exchange their emotional responses with a view to remaining resilient amidst a constant stream of distressing news. Please write to ukpalmhn@gmail.com if you would like a link to this meeting Displacement orders are psychological and physical warfare in Israeli campaign of ethnic cleansing in Gaza Source: Médecins Sans Frontières Date: 27 May MSF denounces the forced displacements in Gaza as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing, describing them as psychological and physical warfare. The organisation calls for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to the affected populations. https://www.msf.org/displacement-orders-are-psychological-and-physical-warfare-israeli-campaign-ethnic-cleansing-gaza Freedom Flotilla tracker Follow live the Freedom Flotilla vessel, Madleen, whose passengers include Greeta Thunberg. Track the vessel’s journey for safety, accountability, and solidarity https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-tracker/ “Global March to Gaza”: Activists from 31 countries plan march to Rafah border Source: Anadolu Agency Date: 23 May Thousands expected to join Rafah protest from June 12–20 as organizers say blockade caused severe famine, health collapse in Palestinian enclave. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/global-march-to-gaza-activists-from-31-countries-plan-march-to-rafah-border-/3577641 Unoccupied skies with Ghassan Najjar of the Burin Land and Farming Cooperative Source: Green Olive Tours Date: 27 May Burin is a community near Nablus that is surrounded on all sides by violent settler outposts. Living in this reality has meant enduring years of settler harassment, military violence, and general disruption of livelihood. The community is coming together to host their annual kite festival on July 11th, and inviting people around the world to fly kites along with them and host solidarity events in our own communities as part of a global call to action. We joined with Ghassan to learn more about the community of Burin and about this powerful initiative. He is the director of the Burin Land and Farming Cooperative and spoke with us about the ways we can act in direct solidarity with community members resisting escalating state violence and settler attacks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyFcpIKfpGg&t=3457s Medical neglect widespread in Israel’s prisons Source: The Electronic Intifada Date: 2 June Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons report systemic medical neglect, with conditions worsening since October 2023. Former inmates describe deliberate denial of healthcare, leading to deteriorating physical and mental health, and in some cases, death. https://electronicintifada.net/content/medical-neglect-widespread-israels-prisons/50688 Impact of the Israeli Occupation on Palestinian Women Health – Narrative Review Source: Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal Date: 13 May (available online) This comprehensive review aimed to shed light on the physical and mental health difficulties and challenges facing Palestinian women of reproductive age. This revealed the impact of the aggression on paralysing the healthcare infrastructure, depriving access to water and electricity, food shortages, and targeting healthcare centres, hospitals. As a result, there are documented increases in maternal and morbidity deaths, deprivation of basic human rights, inability to reach health care centres or hospitals, and poor mental health. […] https://journals.najah.edu/journal/pmpj/first-online/article/2499/ New: Journal for the Study of Christian Zionism Source: Institute for the Study of Christian Zionism (ISCZ) Date: Spring 2025 (Issue 1, Volume 1) Writing from Washington, DC, several months into the second Trump administration, launching the Journal for the Study of Christian Zionism feels all the more vital. While Christian Zionism has always provided cover for or fuelled Israeli settler colonialism and apartheid, the level of violence has reached staggering levels […]. Trump 2.0 promises to empower Christian Zionists as much or more than those emboldened in Trump’s first term […] This journal’s critical research aims to expose Christian Zionism and Zionism more broadly for what it is: an ethnonationalist, racist ideology that privileges one group of people over another with appalling consequences for Palestinians, as well as for those who advocate for them. https://studychristianzionism.org/the-journal-for-the-study-of-christian-zionism-volume-1-no-1/ Gaza lifesaver warns world on Zoom Source: The Crispin Flintoff Show Date: 2 June Two days after touching down in the UK, Dr Mohamed – an A&E consultant who spent 16 months on the front line in Gaza – joined The Crispin Flintoff Show live on Zoom. He pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to save lives amid constant air strikes, collapsing hospitals, and crippling shortages. In this video, you’ll hear: – How aid convoys are systematically blocked and why starving families often see food turned away. – The brutal reality of amputations performed on makeshift tables with minimal anaesthesia and no sterile equipment. – First-hand accounts of malnourished children, mass casualties, and families forced to identify loved ones from rubble. – The lifesaving impact of his clean-water initiative—how 18 hand-dug wells and 3 desalination plants kept entire communities alive. – Why Dr Mohamed believes the only way to force change is through public pressure and global awareness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU-4Qy75BCM EVENTSOur Events page is updated weekly with events related to Palestine and mental health. As of 4 June, there are 18 up to date events listed. https://ukpalmhn.com/events/ FEATURED EVENT Sustaining Health and Healthcare in a Time of Genocide Date: Saturday 14 June from 10:30am -5:00pm at the University of Glasgow. Source: Scottish Palestinian Health Partnership (SPHP) SPHP is a network of healthcare professionals collaborating in support of health and healthcare in Palestine. Our forthcoming conference is an interactive event focusing on the impact of trauma and loss for Palestinians and the implications for mental health and wellbeing. With presentations from: Dr Yasser Abu Jumei (Gaza Community Mental Health Programme), Dr Andy Ferguson (IDEALS) and others. For further information and booking: https://scotpalhp.org/event/scottish-palestinian-health-partnership-conference/ ACTIONS Our Featured Action is available below and also on our dedicated Actions page. We published 12 relevant actions on our Action page during May. https://ukpalmhn.com/gaza-crisis/ FEATURED ACTIONUK healthcare and humanitarian workers call for immediate UK government action to end Israel’s genocide and protect the Palestinian people Source: Health Workers 4 Palestine (petition to Keir Starmer and David Lammy) Date: May 2025 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0cW5wdBbRFyRhRZU6s8qA14IOtQ9SmG5rC2I0K9K0FK5HKw/viewform BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS (BDS) A founding aim of the UK-Palestine Mental Health Network is to “encourage our colleagues individually and collectively to consider their response to the Palestinian call for boycott, sanctions and divestment (BDS). ”Polling shows British public strongly backs sanctions on Israel Source: Palestine Solidarity Campaign Date: 4 June A new poll conducted by OpiniumResearch for PSC shows broad public support for an arms trade ban, sanctions on Israeli ministers, supermarkets to boycott Israeli goods and Israel to be expelled from the UN. https://x.com/PSCupdates/status/1930181609426215370